I aimlessly wandered around the room, trying to think of something to do that would distract me for a short time before breakfast would arrive.

Nico had hidden all of my art supplies in order to rid any suspicion, so I couldn't do that.

I partially debated just laying in his bed, knowing that those pillows had the smell of him all over them.

Although if I did that Layla would probably catch onto my scent and get upset.

I honestly couldn't really do anything without risking me doing something that Layla wasn't going to like.

And well, I was already so anxious from the past 24 hours that just doing nothing like this was making things worse in my head.

It felt like I just needed to fall asleep and not wake up until Layla was gone and things were back to how they should be.

My head snapped towards the door once I heard a knock.

I breathed out an audible sigh of relief from the fact that apparently, my food got here exceptionally fast.

I quickly made my way to the door, ready to great the slave that had my food with a genuine smile.

My smile fell as soon as I opened the door, seeing that instead of my breakfast it was Layla.

Just Layla.

My eyes darted to the side to see if there was any sign of Nico.

There wasn't.

And that fact made my stomach turn.

"Hello pet," She said dismissively as she let herself into the room, causing me to step aside.

I just watched in uncomfortable silence as she walked into the closet and towards her bag, debating on if I should close the door.

If I closed the door I felt like that would be trapping me in here with there, and that's the absolute last thing I wanted.

But on the other hand, I felt like something as simple as me not closing the door behind her would set her off.

In the end, I decided to close it, figuring that I was probably overreacting for nothing.

If she was so adamant about being around Nico, then he had to have known that she was here, right?

I just watched in nervous confusion as she was bent over, looking through her bag.

She turned to look at me for a moment, probably noticing the look I held on my face.

"Your Master is downstairs enjoying breakfast. I told him that I needed to grab something from my room but forgot that it was actually in here, so thank you for opening the door," She explained turning back to her bag, not really seeming too genuine towards the end.

"Oh," I responded quietly, not really being sure if she wanted me to respond.

Not to mention the fact that my nervousness had spiked.

The fact that Nico didn't know she was here was making a chorus of alarms go off in my head.

I didn't know what to do but just stand there and watch her, praying silently to something that my food would get here soon to break this uneasy atmosphere.

I completely froze when she stood to her full height as turned to face me, her golden eyes just slowly looking me over.

She thought something over before she finally spoke.

"What's your blood type?"She asked.

My breath hitched as soon as she spoke, the alarms in my head now full on blaring.

Couldn't she possibly be serious right? Right?!

"B-Negative," I replied, trying not to show how scared I really was.

Judging by the new grin that ran across her face, she was probably listening in and could hear how much her question caused my heart to race.

She licked her lips as she slowly stepped towards me.

"Really?" she began, now actually showing interest in me ever since she's gotten here, "Its been a long time since I've tasted B-Negative straight from the source."

I felt like a deer caught in the headlights as she slowly stalked closer to me, my mind screaming for me to move, but my body refusing to.

I'm pretty sure I was visibly shaking by the time she was standing right in front of me, surely getting a kick out of how terrified I had become.

I wished for anything that Nico would come through that door.

Layla couldn't possibly consider drinking from me right?

She should know how much Nico wouldn't like that.

Unless he never told her.

A terrified squeal exited my throat as she dragged her finger across Nico's still-visible bite mark on my neck, causing me to flinch away.

"You don't think Nico would mind me having a taste do you?" She asked, her tongue running across her fangs, "Being the nice guy that he is, I don't think he'd mind just this once."

It was at this time that my body decided to move, taking a single step back.

"I-I really don't think that's a good idea," I said shakily, the air around my now feeling thick.

It was getting difficult to breathe.

Layla scoffed, closing the space I had made between us.

"Well, of course you don't, but when have you really ever had a choice in this matter?"

I took a step back as she took a step forward, trying to find out some way for this not to happen.

And then another step, and then another.

"Why don't you ask him first?" I asked, the fear I was feeling now blatantly showing itself in my voice.

She thought that over for barely a second, "I guess I could, but id rather just do it than run the risk of him saying no. I can always make up for it if he's upset about it. That way we can both get something that we want in the end."

I could feel the muscles in my legs tightening, ready to run.

As if I actually had anywhere I could go.

Layla continued to take very casual steps forward as I continued to step back

My eyes went wide in an entirely new form of panic as I recalled the rule that Nico had given me months ago.

The one rule that he insisted that I followed. Not to let anyone else drink from me.

Just don't put yourself in that position and I won't either. And even if the situation still somehow arises, try to distract them for as long as possible until I find you.

I struggled to swallow the lump in my throat.

Distracting her wasn't exactly working, and I doubt that I would be able to do it much longer.

I quickly glanced behind me, realizing that the wall was a lot closer than I thought it was.

My immediate guess was that once she had me backed against the wall, she'd pounce.

Tears began to brim in my eyes once I noticed that I was basically already trapped.

I had the wall behind me, Layla in front of me, and the cage and couch on my left and right were too close for me to be able to run towards without her easily being able to jump to the side and grab me.

Even though I knew that Trying to run was a wasteful effort. She could easily overpower me and catch me even if I did somehow manage to escape her grasp at first.

"I r-really don't think that he'll like this," I tried one more time to make her change her mind, "He really doesn't like it when other people touch his... things."

She let out a menacing chuckle as she bent down a bit.

My entire body shook furiously as she harshly grabbed onto my upper arm, jerking me towards her.

"I guess we'll find out then, won't we?"

Without another second, she buried her fangs in my flesh right above my collar bone.

A scream ripped itself from my throat as my entire body fought to free itself from her grasp.

Hot tears ran down my face as her grip tightened on my arms, debating on whether or not I should just submit to her.

She wasn't gentle by any means. Even Xander was more gentle than she was.

She fed from me desperately, taking absolutely no account of me at all.

My hyperventilating and trembling was something that she was enjoying.

Even regardless of the stinging pain it caused, I continued to squirm in an effort to get away from her

This was the only rule Nico gave me, and despite everything, despite whatever I really meant to him, I wanted to follow it.

With that goal in mind, I somehow managed to shift my arms against her hold just enough to shove her backward.

The sudden motion caused her fangs to tear themselves out of my flesh as she stumbled back, and caused me to fall back onto the floor.

I cried and hissed in agony as I pressed my hand against the open would, the adrenaline in my body probably protecting me from feeling it fully.

I managed to turn and push myself onto my knees and my one free hand before Layla reacted.

"You bitch!" She spat, causing me to turn my head to face her.

I didn't even realize that she had grabbed the whip from on top of the cage before the sound of it cracking hit my ears, and the pain of it splitting the skin on my back hit my nerves.